Many bicycle locks use a U-shaped latch rod 2 to secure a bicycle wheel and frame to a stationary object. These locks are typically mounted with a bracket between the bicycle frame when not in use. To be effective a lock's U-shaped latch rod must be of sufficient length to pass through the bicycle wheel, frame, and around the stationary, securing object. A lock with a U-shaped latch rod of sufficient length to be practical in use, results in a lock too long, length wise, to mount within the frame of 18 inch or smaller bicycles. Therefore, several lengths of U-shaped locks are manufactured: short U-shaped latch rod locks to enable mounting within the bicycle frame of 18 inch or smaller bicycles; and, longer U-shaped latch rod locks for use with larger bicycles. The shorter U-shaped latch rod locks are of very limited use because the U-shaped latch rod is too short to pass through the bicycle wheel, frame, and around most stationery objects.
Realizing that short U-shaped latch rod locks are of little use, manufacturers have produced locks with a flexible cable as an alternative. Flexible cable locks however are awkward to store, are easy to cut by thieves and do not secure the bicycle so as to prevent falling or being scratched when locked. U-shaped latch rod locks, without the problems of the flexible cable locks, are therefore the preferred product in the marketplace.
There is, therefore, a need for a nonflexible U-shaped bicycle lock short enough to store within a bicycle frame of an 18 inch or smaller cycle but long enough to be useful and practical to secure a cycle to a stationery object.